Leek Tart With Oil Cured Olives Recipes

BRUNCH TART WITH SPINACH, OLIVES AND LEEKS

Steps:

• In a large saute pan, heat the olive oil over medium heat. Add the leeks and onion and cook, stirring occasionally, until wilted, 5 minutes. Add the garlic, stir and cook until fragrant, 1 minute. Add the spinach and cook until wilted and tender, 2 minutes. Remove from the heat, taste and season with salt and pepper as needed; let cool.
• Meanwhile, in a large bowl, whisk the ricotta, 2 eggs, the thyme and 1/2 teaspoon salt. Fold the cooled vegetable mixture and the olives into the ricotta mixture.
• Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. On a lightly floured surface, roll out the pastry until it's 12 inches square. Using a 12-inch plate or just eyeballing it, cut the dough into a circle (knead the scraps into a ball and save for another use-cheddar straws, say). Transfer the dough to a parchment-lined baking sheet. Spoon the tart filling into the center, leaving a 2-inch border of pastry. Lift the pastry edges and fold over the filling, creasing the dough as needed and leaving the filling exposed in the middle. In a small bowl, whisk the remaining egg with 1 tablespoon water and brush a thin layer of the egg wash on the exposed pastry, taking care not to let egg run down the sides to the pan.
• Bake until the pastry is golden brown, about 45 minutes. Remove from the oven and let rest 10 minutes before serving.

LEEK TART

Steps:

• 1. Line the pie dish of your choice with the pastry and chill in the freezer for 30 minutes.
• 2. Preheat the oven to 400° F. Prick the pastry all over with the tines of a fork or a sharp knife, then line it with aluminum foil and fill it with dry beans or pastry weights to keep it from bubbling up. Bake it in the lower third of the oven until the edges of the pastry are golden, about 10 minutes. Remove from the oven and reserve.
• 3. Melt the goose fat with the bacon in a large skillet over medium heat and cook until the bacon is slightly golden but not crisp, 2 to 3 minutes. Add the leeks, stir so they are coated with fat and cook, covered, until they are tender, about 15 minutes, stirring occasionally so they don't stick to the bottom of the pan. Season with salt and pepper and remove from the heat.
• 4. In a medium-sized bowl whisk together the eggs until they are broken up, then whisk in the milk and the cream. Season with salt and pepper.
• 5. Arrange the leeks and the bacon evenly over the pastry. Pour the custard mixture over it. Place the tart tin on a baking sheet and bake it in the bottom third of the oven until the top is golden and puffed and the custard is cooked through, 25 to 30 minutes. Remove from the oven, remove the edge of the tart tin if you've used a removable bottom tart tin, and serve immediately.

LEEK TART

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 425 degrees.
• Line a 9-inch pie pan with dough. Clean and trim leeks, and julienne. Melt the butter, add leeks and season and cook covered over medium to low heat for 20 minutes until softened. Mix the eggs and cream and all but 1/4 cup of the cheese and add the cooled leeks. Pour into pie shell, top with cheese and bake for 40 minutes.
• BRAISED LEEKS
• In an 8-inch skilled saute leeks in butter. Add chicken broth to almost cover. Cover pan, and to cook for about 20 minutes, until tender. Remove leeks to a platter. Reduce cooking liquid, pour over platter of leeks and garnish with fresh thyme.
• FRIZZLED LEEKS
• Heat oil to hot, but not smoking. Toss julienned leeks with some flour in a bowl. Add to hot oil and fry. Can be used as a garnish.

FLAMICHE AUX POIREAUX (LEEK TART)

Steps:

• In a food processor, process the flour, butter and salt until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs, about 10 seconds. Add three tablespoons of water and process for three seconds. Pinch the dough, and if it does not hold together, add additional water and process for several more seconds. Be careful not to overmix. The dough should not form a ball. Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured work surface and knead, just until it forms a ball. Wrap the pastry in plastic wrap and flatten into a disk. Refrigerate for about 30 minutes.
• Roll out the dough to line a 10 1/2-inch tart pan. Carefully transfer the dough to the pan. Chill for another 30 minutes, or until firm.
• Preheat the oven to 425 degrees.
• Trim the leeks at the root. Cut off and discard the fibrous, dark green portion. Split the leeks lengthwise for easier cleaning and rinse in cold water until no grit appears. Coarsely chop the leeks.
• Melt the butter in a medium saucepan over low heat, add the leeks, salt and pepper and cook, covered, until the leeks are very soft, about 20 minutes. They should not brown.
• If the leeks have given up an excessive amount of liquid, drain them in a colander. Combine the eggs and creme fraiche in a medium-size bowl, mixing until thoroughly blended. Add the leeks and mix again. Reserve a quarter cup each of the cheese and the ham to sprinkle on top of the tart. Mix the rest into the leek mixture.
• Pour the leek mixture into the prepared tart tin. Sprinkle with the ham, then the cheese. Season generously with freshly ground black pepper.
• Bake until nicely browned, 40 to 45 minutes. Serve warm or at room temperature.